All Of The Fiscal Cliff Polls Have Been Pretty Brutal For Republicans

As negotiations on a deal to avert the "fiscal cliff" enter the final three weeks, Republicans face a stark reality: The American public continues siding with President Barack Obama and Democrats on the issues crucial to any potential deal.

Voters overwhelmingly support the key element of Obama's plan for a deal — raising taxes on incomes above $250,000. They also support blanket entitlement cuts, which is what the GOP wants in a deal. But when asked about specific entitlement reforms, they balk at the options.

Here's a rundown of the GOP's public-opinion problem:

In the past week, voters appear to be moving even more toward a position that favors raising tax rates on incomes above $250,000. A Thursday Quinnipiac poll found the margin at a whopping 65-31. In a new Associated Press/GfK poll, 48 percent favored eliminating the Bush-era tax cuts on incomes above $250,000.

What has gone unnoticed in a lot of fiscal-cliff polling is how starkly people come out against any specific entitlement reforms pollsters ask about. For example, in the Quinnipiac poll, people oppose cutting Medicare spending by a 70-25 margin. By a 51-44 margin, they oppose raising the Medicare eligibility age.

The AP poll shows that voters also "trust" Democrats more on handling Medicare — by an astounding 20-point margin. That's a stark contrast from June 2011, when the same poll found Democrats with an 8-point advantage.

By a 49-30 margin, voters also disapprove of changing the way Social Security benefits are calculated, according to the AP poll.